Brothers by Bond (13 page)

Johnny must have finally realized where Mike was looking to cause his panic because he stepped past the fridge and casually leaned against the appliance. The thought of that trail of cum being soaked up by Johnny's T-shirt made him want to groan again but he kept quiet.

"Mikey, I have a few things that need to be brought down from the attic and Andy's back isn't what it used to be. Would you mind?" Mrs. B. asked.

"Of course not." Mike smiled. "When would you like me to do it?"

"Why don't you drive Sophie home and take care of it before dinner, son? I'll bring Johnny after we visit for a bit." Mr. B. was looking at him when he shot Johnny a glance. His brother just gave him a shrug.

"Sure thing," Mike replied and finished his iced tea. "Should we head to the house now?" Mike asked Mrs. B.

"That's fine." Mrs. B. rose and gave Johnny a hug. "Don't be late for dinner." She told him and made her way out of the kitchen.

Mike followed his adoptive mother out to his truck when he realized that his wallet was still in his pants from the night before.

"Forgot my wallet," he said as Mrs. B. opened the passenger door. "I'll be right back."

Mike opened his door to hear Johnny's voice drifted in from the kitchen. "I haven't talked to him yet but..." Johnny's voice stopped midsentence before he called out, "Mikey?"

"Yeah," Mike yelled back. "Forgot my wallet." He took the stairs two at a time and after retrieving his wallet, headed back down. Mike didn't hear any conversation from his kitchen and had the feeling that Johnny and Mr. B. were waiting for him to leave.

"See you guys at dinner," he called back to them.

"Okay, bro," Johnny replied as Mike was closing his front door behind himself.

What could his best friend need to talk to him about?
Aside from what happened between them that morning, Mike couldn't think of anything. The more he thought about it the more he realized that it couldn't even be about that morning. He doubted Johnny told Mr. B., in fact he was sure his brother hadn't if for no other reason then there hadn't been enough time when he was outside.

What the hell could it be about then?
Johnny already figured out what was wrong with him. That made him even more confused because it was not like Johnny only figured it out but had done something about it.
And what did that mean?
Johnny wasn't gay. Shit, he had been married and was practically a womanizer.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Mrs. B. broke through his confusing contemplation.

"I was just thinking about Johnny," Mike told his adoptive mother. He was a shit liar so it was best to stay as close to the truth as possible.

"He's recovered well," Mrs. B. commented. "He seems to be back to himself."

I don't know about that,
Mike thought,
after this morning, I don't feel like I know him at all
.

"Yeah," Mike could feel Mrs. B. looking at him but he didn't take his eyes off the road.

"Seems you boys worked out whatever the problem between you was. Just like I knew you would," she continued.

Did we?
Mike didn't feel like anything was worked out between them at all. He had no idea why his best friend had done what he had that morning. Maybe it was just out of pity? Somehow that thought stuck.

"Yeah, were working it out," Mike replied. Again sticking as much to the truth as possible.

"That's good. I'm sure everything will be fine. It always is when you boys are together," Mrs. B. said. "I've never seen two people more happy than when you and Johnny are together."

Mike's nervousness returned and he was glad that they had arrived at the house so he could escape the conversation.

***

Mike worked in the attic. The place was a mess and searching for the boxes that Mrs. B. wanted turned out to be a bigger task than he had expected. The only two things that made it even slightly bearable were that it wasn't too hot and the Baxter's attic was in a crawlspace like his own. He couldn't recall how many times he and Johnny had gotten into trouble for sneaking up here to play. It was like another world to them his kids but now, as an adult, it was just a jumbled, dusty room to store things to be forgotten.

Mike was just setting down another box in the area that he had designated 'Christmas Shit' when he heard the stair creak behind him. It could only be one person: Johnny. He involuntarily tensed, not turning, and shifted a few boxes around for something to do other than look at his best friend.

Mike hated the sudden nervousness he now felt in his brother's presence and even worse than that, hated that he didn't know what to say.

"Hey bro," Johnny greeted him sounding almost like his normal self but not quite.

"Hey," Mike said without turning.

"Brought you some tea," Johnny said and Mike could hear him moving closer.

How many times could he shift the boxes around before Johnny busted his balls?
Damn, you're nothing but a chicken shit pussy, Mike,
his inner voice scolded him.

A glass of tea appeared in front of him and Mike had been so absorbed in his thoughts that he hadn't realized his brother had come up behind him. Mike could feel Johnny's heat behind him and didn't think he could become any tenser as he took the offered glass. Mike was wrong and he found out just how wrong when he felt Johnny's hands rest on the shoulders.

"Damn, bro, why so tense?" Johnny asked as he began to knead Mike shoulders.

Like you don't know,
Mike thought but couldn't reply.

"Need to relax, bro," his best friend said quietly and Mike felt Johnny apply pressure with his thumbs as he massaged Mike's neck.

Mike set his tea on a box labeled 'lights' and hung his head to give his best friend better access to his tense neck. He tried to sink into the feeling and ignore his hard cock and that it was his brother who was touching him. Mike was succeeding on both accounts until he felt Johnny's lips kissed the back of his neck. Tension was back in full force.

What was his brother doing to him? Was this more pity? God, he feels so good, so right behind me. I should stop this. Don't want to ever stop this,
Mike's thoughts bounced around inside his head like a ball in a pinball machine.

"Stop thinking, Mikey," Johnny's hot breath ghosted across the back of his neck causing him to shutter under the hands that were still trying to work the tension from his shoulders.

"What are you doing, Johnny?" Mike barely breathed out.

"Don't like it?"
Only too much
, Mike replied mentally.

"Why?" Mike answered his brother's question with one of his own and thought if it was for pity, then he didn't want it. It was a lie and he knew it. He would take Johnny's touch however he could get it and not even give a damn for the reason.

"Want me to stop?" Johnny kissed his neck again and pressed into his back.

Oh God,
Mike thought and his breath caught in his throat.

"Tell me to stop, Mikey," his best friend dared him as his hand moved over Mike's flank to grip his waist.

"No," Mike thought but realized the word slipped past his lips.

"Thank God," Mike thought he heard Johnny whisper as his brother ground into him.

Mike felt that Johnny was just as hard as he had been that morning against the fridge. His best friend reached around his waist and pressed his palm firmly on the painful bulge in Mike's jeans. Mike didn't know which one of them made the noise at the touch. Mike knew the next noise came from him when Johnny whispered against his neck.

"I want you, Mikey." Mike's heart skipped a beat. "And I know you want me." Another beat skipped when Johnny pulled him closer by applying more pressure on the palm that covered his throbbing cock. Mike knew he could cum right then, in his jeans again, and had to force himself back under control.

"Boys, dinner," Mr. B.'s voice called up the stairs.

Mike instinctively tried to move away but Johnny held him tighter and pressed his face between his shoulder blades. He felt his brother inhale and mummer something he didn't catch before he stepped away.

"See you downstairs, bro," Johnny called back to him and Mike finally turned around.

"Johnny," Mike said and his best friend stopped without turning. "Why?" Mike asked again and was almost afraid of the answer his brother Mike gave him.

"We'll talk later, once we get home," Johnny replied without looking back and headed down the stairs.

Mike stood in the suddenly warm attic and willed his erection to go down and trying not to think about the 'talk' he would have with his best friend later.

***

Dinner was like any other the Baxter's and Mike slowly relaxed around his family. Several times he caught Mr. B. looking between him and Johnny as if he knew something was amiss. However, he never said anything but those glances between him and his brother reminded him of the overheard snippet of conversation earlier that day.

Three times, Johnny had said he wanted to talk to him but Mike wasn't looking forward to the conversation and feared what his best friend might have to say.

They begged off dessert but didn't argue when Mrs. B. pushed the bag of leftovers into their hand. Goodbyes were said and the ride back to Mike seemed to take forever as the silence stretched between them in the cab of the truck.

Chapter 11

Once back at his place, Mike followed Johnny inside like it was his brother's home and not his own. Mike flopped on one end of the sectional, nerves wound tight, and waited for Johnny to return from the kitchen. In all of his years on the force, he had never felt the tension he was feeling now as he waited for his best friend. A cold beer tapped his shoulder over the couch and Mike took it. He stared at the bottle he held in his hand like it was an alien that held all the answers of the universe.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Johnny sit on the other end of the sectional. His brother sat with his back to the armrest, one leg bent at the knee leaning against the back of the couch and his other foot firmly planted on the floor.

"So, bro, let's talk." Mike glanced at Johnny, who was taking a swig of his beer, before he returned his gaze to the bottle in his hands He was dreading what might come.

"Okay," Mike replied and prepared himself for anything.

"It's like this..." Johnny began and then paused. "Fuck bro, would you relax already?" Johnny sighed. "Look, I just wanted to talk to you about moving in."

Mike had been prepared for anything, or so he thought, but he was definitely not expecting this. He was so caught off guard by his brother's request that his head shot up.

"Why?" Mike asked, his confusion clearly showing on his face.

"You seem to be asking that question a lot today, bro." Johnny smirked at him. "I thought it would be obvious after the attic today." One of Johnny's blonde brows raised and he took another drink.

Mike was more confused than ever. How could that be with Johnny was talking to Mr. B. about when the incident in the attic hadn't even happened yet? He said as much.

"But you were telling your dad you needed to talk to me before that."

"I was," Johnny grinned and when Mike still looked confused, he continued. "I told dad what my plan was."

It was Mike's turn to raise one dark brow at his best friend. "And that is what?
" To drive me insane with your presence by being here every day?

"To move in with the only person I've truly loved. The one person who completes me like no one else ever has; the one I can't live without and don't want to. The only person I think about night and day and want more than anything else in the world." Johnny's grinned turned into a shy smile that looked strange on his handsome face. Shy and Johnny just didn't go together.